We use a 1.4 litre Toyota Yaris. Facets of the Graduated Driving License
It may have been a while coming, but, alas, it is upon us, as The Late Late Show introduction went ‘To those whom it may cancern!’ — procuration of the new driving licence. It will cause some concern for future applicants, but fear not the unknown. It will be more benign, smooth, acceptable to all than the Press release may indicate. It will present our roads as a safer place for all with a more educated approach from our youth who will take it all in their stride.
Changes there will be and not before its time. Driver testing was introduced in the Republic in 1964 and its dated system remained until the Road Safety Authority was established just four years ago, modernising training, testing and licensing.
This new Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL) will apply to learner and novice drivers for a period of two years after passing a driving test. The RSA has carried out research in Canada, Australia and the UK as well as the benefit of public consultation seeking measures to protect the inexperienced driver while trying to avoid penalising the responsible, compliant novice driver.
Here are some of the changes that will be effective next year:
| Changes to the Driving Test | The current driving test will be modernised to more effectively reflect driver competencies and to influence the learning undertaken by learners. We will introduce a new externally accredited driving test format in the last quarter of 2011. |
| Hazard Protection Test (HPT) | A standard Hazard Perception Test will be developed and carried out during the novice driver phase. The hazard perception test will specifically address risk taking and perception of risk among novice drivers. |
| Strengthen Role of Accompanied Driver | The role of the supervising driver accompanying learner drivers will be strengthened and we will introduce a requirement for learner drivers to keep a learner log to be signed by their approved driving instructor and their accompanying driver. |
| Lower Blood Alcohol | The drink driving limits for drivers with learner permits and those in their first two years on a full driving licence will be reduced to 20mg/100ml. This legislation has been passed by the Oireachtas and will come into effect in September 2011. |
| Higher level of Penalty Points | The penalty points for specified offences will be increased for learner and novice drivers so that accumulation of penalty points during the learning phase and in the first two years on a full licence will pose a real threat of disqualification and will impact positively on risk taking and driver behaviour. |
| R Plates | Novice drivers will be required to display an R (restricted) plate during the first two years of their full driving licence to support the restrictions that are placed on their licence for that duration. |
| Driver Theory test | The current Driver Theory Test question bank and supporting learning materials will be reconfigured to make it more effective as a learning tool. |
| Range and combination of sentencing options | The RSA will engage with the Department of Justice and Law Reform, the Gardai and the Courts Service to develop the range and combination of sentencing options available to the courts for driving offences for learner and novice drivers. |
To be continued.